barry manilow, 83, cancels concert right before showtime
2 minute read
we apologize, but this video has failed to load.
try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
see more toronto sun on google — save as a preferred source
barry manilow fans in kentucky were disappointed once again.
the singer was set to perform at rupp arena in lexington for a second time when he bailed at the last minute.
“due to unforeseen circumstances, tonight’s show in lexington has been rescheduled,” the “copacabana” crooner said on his social media pages tuesday.
no other details were provided.
the venue issued a separate statement, saying that all previously purchased tickets will be honoured at the new date once it is announced.
according to one fan on x who had travelled from cincinnati, the concert was cancelled 30 minutes before start time.
they and manilow’s legion of fans took to the comments sections on his facebook, instagram and x pages to wish the singer a speedy recovery as he continues to recover from lung cancer.
second time rescheduled
tuesday’s concert was the second time manilow postponed the lexington stop.
the 83-year-old was first scheduled to perform on march 9, but rescheduled that performance as his recovery journey continued.
in december, the “can’t smile without you” singer announced he was undergoing surgery to remove a “cancerous spot” on his lung, but noted that it was “pure luck that it was found so early.”
manilow was forced to cancel his christmas shows, explaining he would need “a month to recover.”
while manilow at the time said he was “counting the days” until he could return to the stage in february, his tour dates were further pushed back as his recovery took longer than anticipated.
more postponements followed, including his vegas residency in february and march, as well as the dates of his farewell tour that were scheduled for april and may.
u.s. singer-songwriter barry manilow performs during the recording academy and clive davis’ salute to industry icons 50-year anniversary of the pre-grammy gala at the beverly hilton hotel in beverly hills, california, on february 1, 2025. (michael tran/afp/getty images)
michael tran/afp
/
getty images
‘one of the lucky ones’
manilow has since released a new album, “what a time,” and declared that he is cancer-free.
advertisement
“i’m one of the lucky ones,” he told people in march, noting he didn’t have to undergo chemo or radiation.
manilow shared that he was still recovering from his cancer treatment, which required that one of his left lung’s two lobes — which deliver oxygen to the bloodstream — had to be removed.
the diagnosis and treatment allowed him to reflect on his life.
“this made me stop and think about: ‘have i done what i wanted to do, and have i made people happy? have i been a good friend?’ all of those cornball things that i’ve read for all of my life, i started to think about that, too. it really did stop me in my tracks,” manilow said.
“and the answers are yes. and as a matter of fact, there are more yeses than i ever thought.”
he added: “this really rocked me, but i’m getting stronger.”
manilow is scheduled to perform in cincinnati on wednesday.
recommended video
share story
